Dig South 2014 Music Preview

Officially born only two years ago, Dig South has quickly become the Southeast’s top interactive festival celebrating both innovation and digital economy. The interactive conference keeps its focus on digital culture, but it also features a sideshow full of great music. Last years lineup knocked it out of the park with bands like Heyrocco, Brave Baby, Elim Bolt, Rachel Kate, Those Darlins, Dangermuffin, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Sam Doores, and Lee Fields. This years lineup doesn’t quite touch that, but features some great acts none the less.

First listed are the shows open to the public. The second shows are more integrated into the conference and require a badge, which is worth it if you’re in the field.

No Dignitary Badge Required

WED, APR 9

A lineup filled with some of Charleston’s finest artists, this show is a must see for the adventurous or someone looking to watch artists on the rise. Mechanical River is a staple of the Charleston music scene, with his batting helmet mic and ironing board keyboard stand, Joel Hamilton has a penchant for the weird and poppy. One minute he’ll have you asking “What the fuck is that noise?” and the next he’ll have you clapping and singing along.

The night is rounded out from two artists from the new class of the Charleston music scene in Grace Joyner and Johnny Delaware. Delaware released one of the finest albums in South Carolina last year with Secret Wave. He’s continued to promote that album, lately with full band shows which better suit the songs. The question I ask myself is how is this guy not famous yet? He’s got rock star written all over him and he’s got the voice and the song writing wits to back it up.

Grace Joyner Grace Joyner. Joyner doesn’t perform often and she hasn’t really had the chance to yet. Her album isn’t due out until May, but the reaction to her song on our 2014 sampler has been tremendous thus far. Joyner’s music is stripped down and pop infused, using stark beats around melancholy subject matter with her voice as the centerpiece. See her live while you can.

THUR, APR 10

Jordan Igoe’s been around Charleston her whole life, but in the last year her name spread like wildfire on the back of her beautiful new album How to Love. She’s powerful, dark, and enchanting live and on record, a perfect opener for The Lone Bellow. She’ll also be back on stage at Charleston Music Hall where she delivered this performance.

Serving as the music headliner of Dig South, The Lone Bellow sound like the boon of music that’s made its way out of Charleston on the coat tails of Shovels and Rope. The catch is they’re from Brooklyn playing roots and country influenced folk. Led by Zach Williams, The Lone Bellow bring out many of the traditional characteristics of folk music. Songs that you can sing along with, learn for yourself, and pass on from generation to generation. It’s something not many have been able to capture with the recent rise in pop influenced folk.

We were lucky to receive a copy of Logan Venderlic’s powerful new album recently. Just days later he was in Columbia performing solo, stomping through heavy-handed material of his upbringing in West Virigina. Many of his songs reflect on the imagery only someone who grew up in the area can have. Images of hardworking Americans, many of whose families have survived through generations of poverty. Venderlic carries some of these features himself, with focused and high energy performances that come from somewhere deep within.